Escape of the Palisman

At the slayground, multiple baby track students from Hexside were playing on the equipment while Eda, Luz, and Cruz all sat on a bench underneath a sign that said "All Bloodthirsty Monsters Must be Leashed".

"What if he gets hurt? What if the kids are mean to him? My parental instincts are freaking out, man," Luz said with visible worry. "Now you know how mamá feels whenever we were running around," Cruz commented with a small chuckle. "Huh, I guess you're right. Never really thought about it too much," Luz said remembering how her mom acted when she and Cruz were playing in the woods. "Still there's nothing to worry about, King knows how to take care of himself," Cruz reassured his sister.

"Cruz is right, he's fine. Just look at him," Eda said as they all looked towards King who had began to climb up the slide. "It does look like he's having fun. I wonder what cute little game he's playing," Luz said cooing over King. Back at the slide King was still trying to climb up the slide to the best of his abilities. "Stand back, cretins," he said grunting before reaching the top of the slide. "Yes! Yes! This is a throne worthy of a tyrant. Bow to me you snotty underlings. Bow!"

Two baby track students, a little blonde girl with pigtails standing up and a pink skinned child with three eyes, looked at each other for a moment before turning back to King. "Okay," they said at the same time before the blonde bent backwards and the three eyed child did a hand stand.

"Yes, appease your master," King said while taping his claws together happily. "This isn't for standing, it's for sliding. You try," said a little red haired child with visible snot coming from their nose before shoving King forward and down the slide. After rolling down the slide, King picked himself up before running towards the trio on the bench. "Eda!" he cried out before clinging onto Luz's leg. "That monster took my throne," he said pointing back towards the slide and the small child.

"You mean the baby?" Eda asked teasing him. "No, the usurper. I want you to go over there and blow him up. Kaboom!" King exclaimed while pointing at the usurper riding on a spring rider.

"Kaboom!" mimicked the usurper

"Yeah, I'm not using Owlbert to blow up a five year old. He's got better things to do. Like this," Eda said as she unscrewed Owlbert from her staff and began to pet him. In response to the petting, Owlbert began to warble happily.

"Aww, what a sweetie. How'd you get him?" Luz asked. "Get? I made Owlbert from the branch of an ancient tree. Oh, he's my palisman and we're bonded for life. I'd annihilate anyone who'd hurt him," Eda said while narrowing her eyes as Owlbert hopped onto Eda's shoulder and began to nuzzle her cheek.

"Luckily I have a better idea," King said while turning to Cruz. "I'm not giving you an explosive potion," Cruz deadpanned already knowing what King was expecting from him.

"Fine. Don't help. Revenge will taste all the sweeter if they fall by my hand alone," he said as he began to laugh maniacally before the same child came up from behind him and shoved his back. "Tag you're it!" he said before running off laughing.

"Oh, man. Here we go. King's squeak of rage," Eda said as King grunted while he stood up before proceeding to wriggle and punching the ground and letting out a high pitched squeal. He stopped squealing for a moment before starting again and charged at the child.

As soon as he'd left Cruz and Eda began to laugh at the sound that King had made. "That's the greatest thing I've seen here," Cruz said while doubling over with laughter. "He's like a little teakettle," Eda said snorting.

As Eda and Cruz were laughing Luz noticed something strange on Owlbert's foot as he was scratching himself. "Hey, what's that?" She pointed at a strange hole with a pattern on it. "That's his interlock. So he only fits on my staff. Every Palisman has one," Eda said as suddenly fell over and landed on the ground unconscious. As she fell on the ground, Luz and Cruz quickly stood up and went over to check on her.

"She's still breathing, she's just unconscious," Cruz said as he noticed her breathing was still normal. "Eda! Eda! Wake up!" Luz cried out as Eda regained consciousness.

"Are you alright?" Luz asked as she helped Eda to stand back up. "What?" Eda asked to herself as she realized why she'd fallen unconscious. "Oh no. The curse. Alright, we have to get home. Now!" she said as she picked up her staff.

"King! We have to go!" Luz called out

"Five more minutes, please," King said as he reached towards the snotty child

"King!"

"Apúrale, (hurry up)"

"Ah, man. This isn't over," King said angrily to the child. "Okay, let's play again real soon," he said as he began to hug King. "No, no. Keep those sticky hands away! On no! He's touching me!"

As the group returned to the Owl House, Eda threw her staff on the floor before flopping on the couch. "I'll go get your elixir," Luz said with worry. "Don't worry about it. I'll get it myself in a bit," Eda said waving her worries off.

"Last time you said that, you forgot to take your elixir," Cruz pointed out to her. "Fair point, but there's nothing keeping me from them this time. And besides you've made more than enough for me to take" Eda said.

"Do you need us to stay home and take care of you? I can put King in a little doctor's outfit," Luz said smiling towards King who was looking over a notebook before he looked up in alarm.

"No one wants to see that hermana," Cruz said shaking his head. "I do," Luz imagining how he'd look. "Look, I know how to take care of myself. I've had this curse longer than either of you two have been alive," Eda said as she looked up towards Luz.

"So how'd you get it?" Luz asked

"Yeah, I'm curious too," Cruz asked wondering if he could find a clue on the curse after all his fruitless time researching blindly at the library. "I don't know," Eda said with a grunt.

"You don't know?!" both Noceda's asked in disbelief. "Look, somebody gave it to me. I don't know who and I don't care because I'm fine, all right? Anyway, don't you have plans with Tweedledum and Twerpledee?" Eda asked.

"Well, Willow, Gus, Cruz, and I are going to the Grudgby game between Hexside and Glandus High," Luz said with a smile.

"Since when are you two into sports?" Eda wondered as she screwed Owlbert back onto her staff. "Since I found a little something called 'Hexside pride'. To think Glandus, whoever they are, would dare face us," Luz said. "I'm not really into sports, I'm just going out there to support a friend of mine," Cruz said as he opened up his scroll to look over some information that he'd gotten about Grudgby.

"A friend huh?" Luz asked with a smirk on her face

"Cállate (shut up)" Cruz said, with mild annoyance since she hadn't stopped teasing him since he told her about Skara.

"Sure no problem," Luz said, holding up her hands defensively with a smile as she turned back towards Eda. "We can go, but if you need us to stay…"

"Gross. Sympathy. Go! Go have fun at sport," Eda said pointing toward the door. "Hooray! Hooray for sport!" Luz cheered in excitement. Cruz smiled as he grabbed his pair of worker gloves that he'd finished modifying earlier that morning.

"Hugs and kisses, King. Mwah! Don't spend all night plotting revenge," Luz said in a song song fashion. "That drooly-faced heathen will know my wrath," King responded in the same fashion.

"There aren't any explosive potions in the house, so come up with a new plan," Cruz called out as he and Luz walked out of the house. When King heard what he'd said, he quickly ripped out a page from his notebook knowing his plan A was already a dud.

As the Noceda siblings arrived near Hexside, Luz was trying to come up with a game cheer. "Hexside's gonna wreck your side. Eh, no. Hexside is the best side in the west side," Luz said as she and Cruz looked up with a gasp seeing their bus. The bus looked like black, blue, and gold colored Viking ship with a dragon looking head. Luz yelped as the dragon head tried to bite her.

As the two moved behind the bus to avoid being bitten they noticed Willow and Gus standing waiting for them. "Ah! Friends," Luz said cheerfully. Willow was wearing a yellow and blue hat that said Hexside on the front. While Gus wore a sweater in the same colors that said Hexside on the front.

"Whoo-hoo!" shouted Luz and Willow enthusiastically

"Game day roar!" Cruz and Gus shouted out with just as much enthusiasm

"Happy game day, fellow, uh…are we Hexidians? Hexies? Hexoleos?" Luz asked. "Actually, most people call us…winners" Willow said, clenching her fist while narrowing her eyes.

"Grudgby games are the best. The players go through these action-packed trials. And the audience gets to wave flags. Look, I practiced," Gus said as he pulled out two purple-blue flags before he began to turn in a circle and waved them while humming.

"Yeah I heard about how some of the traps on the field for Grudgby can get pretty intense. The sport kind of reminds me a bit of rugby from back home," Cruz said. "Did you look up Grudgby just for today?" asked Willow.

"More like he asked his friend to tell him about it," Luz said holding up Cruz's scroll

"You're really putting those pickpocket skills that Eda taught us to some use, huh? But you're right, Skara told me about some Grudgby stuff when we talked the other day," Cruz said to Willow and Gus while putting his scroll away.

"Wait, you're friends with Skara?" asked Willow with a slight frown. "Did I really not tell you? I thought Gus would've told you, I'm pretty sure I mentioned it when Luz and I snuck into Hexside again," Cruz said scratching the back of his head.

"I didn't even realize you said that. I was a little preoccupied with trying to keep you two away from the school guards," Gus said. "That's fair, but I met her about a week ago. She's not actually that bad of a person. Now I know this won't really mean much, but she didn't even realize that she was bullying you."

"How does that make any sense?" Willow asked in bewilderment

"Honestly, I was shocked when she told me too. But she did tell me that she was going to try and apologize to you for everything she's done. Guess she hasn't really gotten around to it yet, huh?"

"Well, I don't really see her all that often since we don't share too many classes. And, she's in the bard track, so there's even less chance of that."

"That does make sense. I know I'm asking a lot from you, but if she does come up to you, can you at least hear her out. I'm not saying you have to accept her apology or even be friends with her, that's your choice."

Willow paused for a moment before giving Cruz a small smile. "Alright Cruz, I'll hear her out. But only because you're asking."

"Thanks, Willow. I appreciate it," Cruz said with a smile of his own.

"Hey you guys. Is it weird Cruz and I aren't wearing anything Hexside?" Luz asked, looking down at her hoodie.

"Um, it's weirder that you're wearing Glandus colors," Willow said pointing towards a sign that had two players on it. One wearing a uniform that said Hexside and the other wearing a uniform matching the exact same colors and pattern on Luz's hoodie.

A giant student passed by slowing slightly in front of Luz. "Get ready to creamed, Glandus nerd," they said, pressing down on Luz's head with a finger.

"Hey! I'm a Hexside nerd," Luz shouted at them.

"Dealing with that all game is going to be annoying," Cruz said. "Gotta change out of this shirt. Where can I get a Hexside one?" Luz asked looking around.

"I know. There's a lost and found box in the cafeteria," Gus said pointing using his flags.

"Ah! The lost and found. Where mouth guards go to retire."

"I'm going with you, might as well wear something with Hexside on it," Cruz said following his sister towards the lost and found. When they found the chest, Luz opened it and took out a white and purple cap with the words Hexside on the front. "Yes!" she said cheerfully. "Why is it in Glandus colors?" Cruz questioned.

Opening the front doors of Hexside, Luz was wearing sweater in Hexside colors, a cheerleading skirt over her regular clothes, a pair of yellow and blue pompoms, and a drink hat. "Goooo, Hexside!" Luz said as she did a split when a crack is heard when she lands. "That just sounded painful," Cruz said wincing as he was now wearing a yellow and blue cap. "Well, I never did that before. Uh, where is everyone?" Luz asked as she looked around noticing that no one besides Willow and Gus were standing outside.

A loud growl is heard from above, as Luz and Cruz look up they see the dragon bus flying away. "Hexside rules!" called out the giant student while hanging onto the banner.

"Oh no! Come back!" Luz called out while coming down the stairs. "Why didn't you guys board the bus?" Luz asked turning towards Willow and Gus.

"We weren't going to you two behind," Willow with a smile

"I was."

"Gus!" Willow said in a whisper yell while elbowing him. "I'll chose to ignore that," Cruz said rolling his eyes. "Can we walk to Glandus?" Luz asked.

"We'd never make it in time. Glandus is all the way out in the middle of the island," Gus said while rolling his flag and pointing with it. "Typical Glandus," Luz said with a scoff.

"And my parents are working, otherwise I'd see if they could give us a ride on their staff," Willow said

"A staff…because staffs can fly. Of course, I can get us a staff," Luz said as an idea formed in her head.

"You can?" Gus asked

"Well, unless Cruz can fly us there with his rocket boots," Luz said looking towards her brother. "These boots can only carry me. No way they can support three other people," Cruz said pointing towards his boots. "Then plan B it is, follow me!" Luz exclaimed, grabbing onto Willow's hand and began to drag her with Gus and Cruz following after her.

"Alright wait for me here and I'll get the staff," Luz said as she went into the Owl House. "I'm thinking that we've only got about a 50/50 chance of Eda letting her borrow the staff. Maybe I should make my own," Cruz said thinking about the components that a staff would need to fly and cast spells.

"I'd be impressive if you could make a staff, but I think something like that wouldn't be easy, even for you," Gus said.

"He's right, Cruz. There's a reason that non Palisman staffs aren't something that are sold in the market. They're way too complicated to make, I think the only person on the Boiling Isles that can make them is the Emperor," Willow added in.

"So what I'm hearing is that it's just difficult to make them, but not impossible, right?" Cruz asked which the two of them nodded at him. "Sounds fun to me," Cruz said with a grin already making plans on the mechanical staff he would make.

As Cruz was beginning to make plans, the door to the Owl House opened with Luz standing at the entrance. "To Glandus High," Luz as she waved the staff before smacking Owlbert on the side of the house waking him up. "Oh! Sorry, Owlbert. It's okay. We're just on our way to help some friends."

"Ooh!" Gus and Willow looked at Owlbert in awe. "Who's ready to board Air Luz?" Luz said sitting on the front of the staff. "You'd better be careful, we don't have that much experience flying on Owlbert," warned Cruz.

"Don't worry, hermano. I've got this," Luz said as they all climbed onto the staff. "Feel that power-to-weight ratio," Willow said. "Boys, prepare to fly," Gus said to his flags holding them up. "Next stop Glandus High. Let's go," Luz said as the staff began to rise in the air. "Step on it Owlbert," Luz said as she slaps the staff causing Owlbert to hoot in surprise.

Owlbert flew off in a burst of speed causing the four to scream. Owlbert did a loop-de-loop above some trees before flying through them. As they got closer to the ground, they bounced from one tree to another crashing into them before flying directly into a tree. Willow and Gus fall into a bush. While Luz gets caught by a branch before falling out of her Hexside sweater and Cruz landed on a thick tree branch before slipping off and falling onto the ground.

Owlbert fell straight down from the air landing directly on his head with a pained hoot, causing a crack to appear on the top of his head. "Is everyone okay?" Luz asked in a daze before looking towards Owlbert. "Huh?" Owlbert looks towards Luz with evident fear in his eyes before twisting himself off of the staff and flying off into the forest. "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no! Owlbert, come back!" Luz called out with worry.

"Owlbert!" Luz called out as the group ran after him still hearing his hoots as he flew into an ominous looking cave. As the quartet reached the entrance of the cave they all stop to catch their breaths.

"Man, humans can run. Must be their dorsal fins," Gus commented narrowing his eyes. "We don't have dorsal fins, but not the time for that right now Gus," Cruz said, shaking his head a bit.

"He went through those trees. Come on," Luz said as she began to move before Willow grabbed her wrist. "We have to be careful. It's really easy to get lost in this part of the forest," Willow warned. "This is Eda's palisman, Willow. She'll kill me and Cruz if we don't get it back. Let's go." As the group entered the cave, lots of thick webbing was seems hanging from the walls and ceiling as cracking is heard from the group walking.

"Wow! I keep stepping on a lot of crunchy twigs," Willow pointed out. "Those are bones, Willow," Luz pointed out. "Not if I never look down," Willow said looking up towards the ceiling. "That's one way to deal with this," Cruz commented as a shadow flew past them startling all four of them.

"This isn't like any kind of forest I'm used to," Luz said as she poked a spiderweb using the staff. "That's because this isn't a forest…" Willow began to say as three small bat babies with more head than body appeared in front of them. "It's a nest," she finished with worry.

"Hey, Cruz and I remember you. You're Bat Queen's babies," Luz said as the three babies screech. "Wait. The Bat Queen?" Gus said with worry and fear in his voice. "I think I'd rather take my chances with Eda," Willow said as she and Gus began to back away.

"It's okay, you two. The Bat Queen is actually pretty nice," Cruz said, trying to reassure them. Luz began to walk towards the bat babies. "Uh, we're looking for a little owl and….there he is," Luz said as she noticed Owlbert standing a bit behind the bat babies looking at Luz with some level of fear still evident. He whimpers before backing into the shadow of the cave.

"Owlbert, thank goodness you're okay. Come here, buddy. Time to go home," Luz said as she gestured for him to come towards her. Suddenly the Bat Queen steps in front of Owlbert coming into the light causing them all to gasp. "Hello, small humans," she said with a hiss.

The Bat Queen growled at the group when she laid her eyes on them. "It's the…" Willow began to say with a whimper. "Bat Queen. I know. We kinda babysat her kids once. Don't worry. I got this," Luz said turning towards the Bat Queen. "Hiya, BQ. My, your hair is looking greasy. And your kids, they're as hideous as ever," Luz said with a chuckle.

"You know, that could've gone worse," Gus said after a slight pause. "I don't even want to think about how it could've been worse," Cruz said. "So….Owlbert ran away and I need to get him back. I'm just gonna grab him and we'll be on our way," Luz said as began to step forward. Before she could take a single step forward, the Bat Queen stoped her by putting a foot on her chest.

"To be careless with a staff, it's very serious. I protect him," Bat Queen said. "And thank you for that, uh, but he belongs to Eda, the Owl Lady. And you owe her a favor, remember?" Luz pointed out nervously as she removed the Bat Queen's claw from her chest.

"Owl Lady is careless. Her staff left her sight. Taken by human who steals, hurts, frightens." she said gaining confusion from Luz and Cruz. "He told me all," the Bat Queen's eyes began to glow in a yellow color while Owlbert's eyes glowed in the same way.

"Owlbert, we never meant to hurt you. Please trust us," Luz pleaded as she kneeled down. Owlbert hooted as he flew on top of the Bat Queen's head where both of their eyes began to glow again as the two communicated.

"Trust must be earned, through trails," she said flying up to a stump as three pillars of flames rose into the air.

"Trials?" Gus asked happily

"You guys, the Bat Queen is well known for her impossible trials. I've never heard of anyone winning against her," Willow said with worry. "Nothing is impossible, just never been done before," Cruz said.

"He's right, and we have to get Owlbert back. We accept your challenge," Luz said, clenching the staff. "And we'll be right there with you," Willow said turning towards Gus. "Let the flags raise you up," Gus cheered. Before either Willow or Gus could move forward, the Bat Queen closed her claw causing webbing to encase the two.

"Hey!"

"What?"

"No helpsies. Now, let the trials begin. Milk the spider demon," said the Bat Queen as a large brown spider with a green collar with a bell on it and an udder underneath it came up to the two Noceda's. Luz and Cruz grunt in disgust before looking back towards Owlbert who looked at the two with an expecting gaze.

"No worries, this isn't any different than a cow. You know, just with eight legs. And a whole lot of eyes, and fangs….just like a cow," Cruz said trying to convince himself.

"Alright. Come here, pal. Let's do this," Luz said as she ran towards the demon before it began to run away. "If you run, you'll just make this harder for yourself," Luz said as she began to chase after the demon.

After chasing the demon for a bit, they managed to keep it still long enough using a small sticky potion that Cruz had stored in his vest, and milked it completing their first task and extinguishing the first flame.

"Remove, bee's nest." Luz and Cruz began to climb up a tree up towards a large bee nest. When Luz was about to hit it using the staff, the nest ended up turning into a large wasp, causing the twins to fall due to surprise. The two began to run from the wasp, running past Willow and Gus.

"Come on. Almost got it," Gus said trying to free himself using his flags to rip the webbing apart. He finally managed to rip the webbing apart enough to push through and free himself. "I am free! Bat Queen, you will rue the day that you tried to trap-" Gus was interrupted in his triumph as the Bat Queen trapped him again, this time suspending him from the ceiling.

"Ah.." the second flame went out as Cruz had activated the lightning glyph on his gloves, turning them into small tasers and electrocuting the wasp.

"Give babies a bath!"

Luz was growling as she scrubbed one of the babies, while another was biting into her shoulder. "I know baths aren't the most fun for you, but stay still, will you!" Cruz exclaimed as he tried to wash the third baby that continued to try and bite him every time.

"Go, Luz! Go, Cruz!" Willow cheered on

"Guys, we're here if you need us," Gus added in

"Yeah, cut us free. We can get Eda."

"No! We were selfish, and we hurt Owlbert. We have to do this, so he knows we care about him," Luz said as she dumped a bucket of water on the babies. As the babies turned around their hair were styled and neat and they all had shiny faces.

"Aw!" Luz cooed

"Gotta admit, they're pretty cute," Cruz said with a smile. The moment was ruined when the babies shook their heads and began to screech again causing the two to scream.

The twins stood in front of the Bat Queen as the third, and final, flame went out. Gus managed to free himself again landing in a handstand on the ground. "Yes, I am free again. I-" he started to say before webbing encased him covering everything except his legs, causing him to yell out in a muffled scream.

"Does the word stealth mean anything to you?" Cruz said in disbelief that Gus kept announcing his escapes.

"Okay, Bat Queen. That's the last one. We've done all your chores. And we've proven our dedication to Owlbert," Luz said as the Bat Queen narrowed her eyes at them. "I'm so sorry for the pain I've caused you Owlbert. I promise to be more careful," Luz began to say as she walked towards Owlbert with sadness in her voice. "I promise the same thing as her Owlbert, we'll be careful if you ever give us permission to help us fly," Cruz said as she walked up to him standing next to Luz.

"Will you come home with us?" Luz asked hopeful. Owlbert nodded with a hoot and flew down towards the ground. Before he could take a step forward, the Bat Queen closed her claw, trapping him in webbing surprising Owlbert and the Noceda's.

"No! More trials. Last trial. You must face…me," the Bat Queen expanded her wings causing a large pillar of flame to rise up from behind her.

"What?" Cruz and Luz said in disbelief before the Bat Queen roared and flew forwards towards them. The two yelp as they begin to run away from her.

"You will never get him back!" the Bat Queen declared. Luz yelps as she lands roughly on the ground in front of Willow and Gus. "Luz, Cruz, get us out. We can help," Willow called out as Luz began to free her and Gus. "Okay, if it's a fight like this then I can finally use these," Cruz says as he pumps his arms back bringing out his gauntlets.

"Look out!" Willow calls out after Luz had freed her and she had freed Gus. The three babies screeched as they flew in front of the group. "I'll hold them off…with my flags," Gus declared as he waved the flags. The babies screech as they begin to attack Willow and Gus. "No! That was a bad plan."

"There's too much open space here. We have to get somewhere that makes it harder for her to fly around," Cruz said as he pulled Luz towards a darker area of the forest. The Bat Queen quickly followed after them. Luz and Cruz moved between trees as the Bat Queen simply pushed them aside and continued to chase them.

Owlbert had managed to wiggle enough to free one of his wings. "We won't let you imprison Owlbert!" Luz shouted as she swung around the staff trying to fend her off. "She's moving around too much for me to hit her!" Cruz exclaimed in frustration before he and Luz tripped over a branch and landed on the ground with vines covering their legs.

They looked up to see the Bat Queen close in on them with a roar. "Staff! Staff! Staff!" Cruz called out as Luz raised the staff blocking the Bat Queen. As the two struggled to hold the Bat Queen back, Cruz looked towards the foot closer to him and noticed something on the bottom of her foot. There was an interlock on it, when Luz noticed this she and Cruz gasped at the realization.

"Is that an interlock?" Luz asked as she and Cruz kicked the staff pushing the Bat Queen away. "Bat Queen, you used to be on a staff, didn't you? You were a Palisman." The Bat Queen gasped knowing her biggest secret had been discovered.

The Bat Queen looked away from the twins, before looking back at her interlock as of remembering times gone by. "Yes, I was once part of a grand staff. A staff made for a giant. But I was broken, discarded," she said with sadness evident in her voice.

"That's why you decided to take in Owlbert. He's someone you feel that's the same as you," Cruz reasoned.

"So, that's why you're so protective of Owlbert," Luz added in.

"I protect…ALL!" The Bat Queen's eyes began to glow as behind her dozens of eyes all began to glow in the same color. Cruz and Luz gasp as countless broken and scarred Palisman of every kind are hiding in the trees.

"I made home in forest. I'm here to take the lost. The forgotten," she explained

"We understand. But Owlbert is not forgotten. He has someone at home who loves him very much," Luz argued back.

"He will not go back with you," Bat Queen said turning away from the two and began to walk away. "That's not your decision to make!" Luz said angrily. "It's selfish to think you know more about where he would be happy!" Cruz said as he clenched his fists.

"I won't let him!" Bat Queen exclaimed as she turned back to them and advanced forward. Luz flinched as Cruz stepped in front of her and brought out his shield to try and protect her. However, the Bat Queen stopped in her advance as Owlbert was in front of her in a protective stance in front of Cruz and Luz. His eyes begin to glow, as a second later the Bat Queen's do too.

"You…you care for them." Owlbert hooted and nodded in confirmation before flying and landing on Luz's shoulder and nuzzling up to her cheek and then up to Cruz's as well while warbling.

"Very well. Go. And take your friends," she said with a sigh. Willow and Gus run up to the two, while still being attacked by the babies. The Bat Queen whistles calling her children to her. "I don't think I'll ever be clean again," Gus said covered in drool.

Owlbert grabbed Eda's staff before giving it to Cruz and landing on Luz's shoulder. "Bat Queen, do you know what happened to your owner?" Luz asked. "It has been thousands of years. I've forgotten," she confessed sadly.

"If you ever want to search for the truth, I'll help you," Luz said with a smile. "Thank you." The Bat Queen began to fly away with her babies following after her.

"I can't believe you two took on the Bat Queen," Willow said as she hugged Luz.

"And we're not dead," Gus said dancing.

"Thank you for helping us get Owlbert back. I'm sorry we missed the game," Luz said feeling guilty her friends missed something they had been so excited for.

"Are you kidding? That was better than any grudgby match. There were action-packed trials. I got to do my flag wave, and I'm slightly traumatized. Hooray!" Gus said waving his flags happily Luz and Cruz chuckled at his reaction before turning towards Owlbert. "Let's get this little guy home," Luz said. "We're gonna walk home, I've had enough flying for today," Cruz added in as they left the forest.

Back at the Owl House, Luz put on pink bandaid with stars on it on top of Owlbert's head. "And now you're part of the boo-boo buddy club," Luz said as Owlbert happily hooted before Cruz began to scratch in the same spot he'd seen Eda scratch him earlier that day earning a happy warble from him.

"Owlbert, why are you off the staff?" Eda asked as she walked in with King following her. Owlbert flew towards her with a hoot before landing on her shoulder and began to warble. "Luz and Cruz took you to get ice cream? Aww, that's…a horrible lie," she said knowing they were hiding something from her. The two gulped knowing they would get in trouble for this one.

"Well, lucky for all of you I don't care right now. I'm going to take a nap," she said before walking away and towards her room. "I'll, uh, be at the playground," King said walking out the door holding a small bottle. "He took one of my stink potions….we'll deal with that later," Cruz said giving up on trying to stop King's chaos.

Owlbert flew back towards the twins, landing on Luz's shoulder. "We'll keep this one to ourselves, shall we?" Luz said as Owlbert warbles and nuzzles her cheek. Cruz took out his scroll and noticed he'd received a few messages from Skara wondering why he was missing from the game.

"Oh, man. It slipped my mind to send her a message," Cruz said as Luz looked over his shoulder to see the messages. "Oooh, someone's in trouble," Luz said. "Shut it, I'll go make a quick call to explain it," he said before leaving the house and heading up to his room in the tower. After he'd gotten in his room he used the call function on the scroll to call his friend.

After a few seconds Skara had picked up the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. Sorry about missing the game today," Cruz started.

"You have no idea what you missed, it was honestly the best game we've had in a good long while! So, why'd you miss the game. I'll bet it wasn't as exciting."

"If taking on the Bat Queen isn't exciting then I really have to see those Grudgby games." There was a short pause before Cruz could hear something falling onto the ground. "Hey, are you okay? What happened?" Cruz asked with worry.

"It's nothing, I just dropped a cup I was holding. But what about the Bat Queen! Are you seriously saying you took on the Bat Queen and lived! No one's done that, ever!" Skara exclaimed excitedly. Cruz laughed at how excited she sounded.

"Yeah, Willow told me that one's ever done that before. Guess me and my sister are just good like that," he said slightly bragging. He noticed that Skara had fallen silent. "Talking about Willow," she said changing the subject. "I know I promised. But I still haven't really had the chance to apologize to her yet."

"Yeah, Willow told me about that. And she did tell me that she was going to at least hear you out. Can't really say how that's going to go, but at least she's willing to listen."

"Honestly I'm glad that she's willing to listen, I would've hated if this somehow made things weird between you two. I don't want to be responsible for your friendship going south."

"Don't worry about that, I made it clear that it's all up to her. Nothing's really going to change."

"I'm glad. Well, it's getting pretty late and I'm sure you've got lots of stuff to do."

"I actually do, I've got some potions to make for Morton and I've gotta get started on my next project. So that's going to take a while, I'll see you at school Skara," Cruz said with a smile. "I'll see you, looking forward to seeing what new invention you'll be making. See ya," Skara said.

"Byeee," Cruz said imitating Eda before hanging up. As he put his scroll away, Cruz looked over all of the scrap metal he'd been collecting before finding a long white metal tube and putting it on his work bench.

"Alright, time to start the prototype on my first mechanical staff. And some new boom hammers, I've got to add in a way to switch between the explosive punch and the lightning glyph." Cruz looked toward some blue prints he'd made of the boom hammer realizing that he'd be making a lot of new improvement to it. "This is going to be so much fun," Cruz said with a smile.